A question about a player’s measurables

[LongDistanceJetsFan]

I know this is a little late, but I am trying to measure the quality of players that we got in the draft and signed UDF. I don’t follow college football (no time and distance) so my main source of info is the combines and forums like this one. My question is why aren’t the combine drills done in uniform. I.e., I want to see a WR’s 40 time with his game gear on, it just seems more relevant. I would also like to see drills or measurement specific to a position. I.e., I would like to see a hand strength measurement for linemen. Reflex speed also seems to be a relevant measurement.
I would just like to know why these things are ignored.

 

[NickSINYC]

Scouts have already gone over hours of game tape on what these players have done on the field, they know what they can do as a football player.

The combine is more about raw athleticism and different players do specific drills just for their position.

Besides if drills were conducted in pads players would wear the thinnest lightest pads they could find and the numbers still would not reflect what their on field time actually would be.

The combines are just an extra source of information. The real evaluation is done with game tape and scouts evaluations from games. The NFL is not conducting the combine for us fans but for the teams.

 

[grogan14]

I know this is a little late, but I am trying to measure the quality of players that we got in the draft and signed UDF. I don’t follow college football (no time and distance) so my main source of info is the combines and forums like this one. My question is why aren’t the combine drills done in uniform. I.e., I want to see a WR’s 40 time with his game gear on, it just seems more relevant. I would also like to see drills or measurement specific to a position. I.e., I would like to see a hand strength measurement for linemen. Reflex speed also seems to be a relevant measurement.
I would just like to know why these things are ignored.

I understand where your coming from but the reality is if "measurable physical skills" where a significant indicator of a players future NFL production, then the draft would be a simple numbers game. Even though they try and make it that way every year, the fact is it's not. Just go back and look at any draft 5 years after and you'll see a pretty even 50-50 split of players taken in the 1st round never become impact players in the NFL. Why? It's not because the physical numbers aren't there I can tell you that, it's because physical numbers in and of themselves are weighed far too much in the draft process.